Pain In The Seat

Riders caught between love of riding and disrupted sex life look for help in latest bike seats

April 17, 2007|By Los Angeles Times

When urologist Irwin Goldstein declared in 1997, "There are only two kinds of male cyclists -- those who are impotent and those who will be impotent," many bike riders scoffed.

Saying the equipment housed in their spandex shorts worked just fine, they kept riding. Several urologists dismissed Goldstein's claims, saying they were based on a small sample of riders and that the cardiovascular benefits of cycling outweighed any risk of impotence.

Ten years later, two dozen published studies have confirmed the connection between cycling and sexual dysfunction.

Bike companies have responded with new saddle designs, and riders have bought millions of these ergonomic seats. But whether they will help a rider's sex life is a matter of contention.

Some researchers say the saddles don't prevent erectile dysfunction, that the modifications don't necessarily ensure adequate blood flow to the penis. They advocate a more radical seat design that some cyclists say is dangerous.

One California man, looking for more comfort, began using an ergonomic bike saddle last fall. The seat, with a protruding nose, was advertised as "helpful in reducing the risk of cycling-associated genital numbness and sexual dysfunction." But after using the saddle for a few months, the man had trouble maintaining an erection. His doctor advised him to give up the bike. He didn't -- and suffered the consequences.

"After a time it didn't work at all," said the man, who requested anonymity.

Comfort can be a misleading guide. Some cyclists opt for a big, soft-gel seat. But that can be the worst choice for circulation, some experts say. Riders on large gel seats sink in, and the gel tends to bunch up and cut off blood flow.

Women also can be affected. A study of 48 young women competitive cyclists and 22 women runners published last year in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that the cyclists had decreased genital sensation compared with the runners, but that this didn't have any negative effects on their sexual function.

"This whole saddle thing is very tricky for the bike industry," said Matt Phillips, test director for Bicycling and Mountain Bike magazines. "We want people to be healthy and comfortable while riding, but we don't want to scare people away from riding."

Although sexual dysfunctions can go away if cyclists stop riding, it also can be permanent. Treatments include sex therapy, hormones, drug injections in the penis, vacuum devices and drugs such as Viagra and Levitra.

Doctors agree that prevention is better than any of the treatment options. A common suggestion in medical journal articles is to use a bike saddle that does not have a protruding nose.

It is not welcome advice to cyclists.

Experienced cyclists say noseless saddles makes bicycles hard to control and, because of that, are dangerous.

"I'd be afraid to ride next to someone on a noseless saddle," said Joshua Cohen, who researched bike seat blood flow problems for his master's degree at the University of North Carolina and published a book, "Finding the Perfect Bicycle Seat."

Dr. Kenneth Taylor, director of the sports medicine program at UC San Diego who has helped design ergonomic saddles, says most cyclists resist riding noseless saddles.

"We've got to provide riders with the best possible product that they will use, even if it's not the safest thing for their perineum," he said. "It's a minority of riders that need noseless saddles."

Makers of noseless saddles say riders need to spend some time getting used to the new designs -- up to two weeks in some cases.

Cyclist Kurt Sandiforth of Nevada City, Calif., is a believer. After years of using a conventional saddle, the 31-year-old developed scar tissue on his urethra and had difficulty urinating. After he underwent surgery two years ago to remove the scar tissue, doctors told him to give up bike riding.

Sandiforth couldn't do it. Instead, he tried a noseless saddle called the Spiderflex. He says the saddle was uncomfortable at first but after learning how to sit on it, he found he could ride comfortably. He has competed in road cycling races on the saddle and is now on a yearlong bike trip, pedaling on the saddle through Europe, Africa and East Asia.

Bike fit experts recommend cyclists experiment with different saddles, making sure they are properly fitted and adjusted. If they still experience pain and numbness from riding, or have any ED or sensitivity issues, regardless of comfort, then noseless may be the best option.

The Northern California cyclist with ED problems ultimately decided to try a noseless saddle. It took getting used to, he said. But after some practice he found he could steer aggressively by pressing his thighs against the bike's top tube.

Best of all, he said: "I can have a normal relationship with my beautiful wife and ride my bike."